Глава 14

My Patriarch, this is no more than a Banshee's incantation.

They have not truly joined the battle. Our foe remains only the young Banshee.

Yes...

Your injuries are grave...

The curse of Aefanyl dictates that decay return to decay. I will not be able to regenerate for some time. But this body will last long enough to see this battle through.

For now... let me hear his song, and that of the Banshees.

Nezzsalem walks to the edge of the cliff, without the help of any Arts.

For an instant, he looks like an ordinary old man.

Do you remember Buldrokkas'tee?

Yes.

You raised him as you would raise your own son.

Such a talented boy. He would have become the hero of Kazdel.

He was my best student.

But he left Kazdel, and died to a conspiracy in a distant land.

But he died a warrior. He lived the meaning of life through war, and returned to the myriad souls upon his death.

After that... after that...

Where is the next hero of Kazdel?

Nezzsalem looks down the cliff.

Wind passes through the holes in his body that have not healed, creating sounds without meaning.

The dirge of the myriad souls has grown softer.

Logos's bone whistle has temporarily suppressed the link between the Blood of Teekaz and Originium.

This is our chance.

Doctor, Dr. Kal'tsit... this time, I won't let it slip from my hands.

...They've caught up.

Are you here too, dear Qui'saršinnag?

You and our Leader... our dear father. Who will be the one to approach the throne?

Salus reaches for the drop of blood at the top of the altar.

Originium burns, and the myriad souls roar.

The powerful witchcraft quickly turns her fingers into charred black crystals.

I want to see it so badly...

The origin is so near.

You—

You've hid well.

It took a long time to find you. Too long.

Traitor!

How many have you killed on your way here?

...Not more than I killed when I escaped.

The underground labs were full of the dead back then... our dead.

You ruined our Leader's plans at the Royal Academy of Sciences. The Victorians almost found out about it because of you!

I wish he had never succeeded.

Ha... that's not what you used to say.

How dare you act high and mighty, when you were the one who gave us our orders!

That cave outside Londinium, all the research bases... was there any part of it that you weren't in charge of?

The Leader was in Kazdel most of the time. You were the one who directed the research. You looked exactly like the Leader with your mask on!

I had no choice back then.

No choice? What about the things you said when you took us to Londinium and had us don this mask?

We were mere mercenaries, but we believed in the Confessarii's teachings, believed in the 'First and Final Path' that you preached!

Our original sin, the sin that outsiders imposed upon us, will be washed away at its coming.

Was that all a lie?

I wish that was a lie.

it wasn't a lie... it was real. All the Leader's promises to us were sincere. The same for you, Qui'saršinnag, even if you have strayed from the path...

The Leader and the Regent are so close to victory.

The freedom and power that have been lost for thousands of years are about to return to the hands of the Sarkaz.

Kill me if you want.

Go and see the Leader. Your father.

He is waiting for you at the end of the path. They're all waiting for you.

You will witness it for us, for every life that your sword took.

Shining removes the guard's mask.

She remembers the face. He was one of the first mercenaries that the Confessarii brought to Londinium.

They knew nothing at first. They were only tasked to excavate the ruins outside the city.

The young man had expressed his gratitude to her directly, thanked the Confessarii for giving them a safe, well-paid job.

It was not long before she stopped hearing those words.

The Leader of the Confessarii came to Londinium.

There were no more idle mercenaries drinking and playing games. Everyone put on the same mask, and did not speak except when necessary.

They had no special bloodline. Qui'sartuštaj should not have been able to control their will so easily.

But the part of them that belonged to themselves died before the great dreams of the Confessarii.

It was she who killed them first.

This sin...

...has gone on long enough.

The mask cracks. The pieces stab at Shining's palm.

She continues her journey to the top.

Qui'saršinnag...

Qui'saršinnag.

Mama's here. It's alright, I just need to talk to your father for a bit.

Didn't you want to look around outside?

Just like the blue fowlbeast in your favorite story... the fowlbeast that can fly high up into the soft, lofty clouds.

You can do it. You should live a free life.

I'm sorry, my dear child...

...Mama will get you away from all of this.

Qui'saršinnag.

Enough hiding. I know you're there.

You followed her in secret when she came to find me. You witnessed... everything. That's good.

You need not be afraid of the blood. You'll see much more in the future.

Will I die?

Of course, my dear. Look, this sword has pierced through my heart. It won't take long before the blood in this body dries up.

Your mother... wants to leave me because of some pointless delusions, and have you leave me as well...

But how is that possible? We have long been bound together by the myriad souls, we cannot be separated.

Go, child. Touch your mother... can you feel it? Her pulse.

This is the power of life, our cycle of life. Through rebirths like this, again and again, will our lives be perfected.

I will always be with you.

We... shall never part.

My dear Qui'saršinnag, you don't seem happy at all.

Didn't the experiment go smoothly? The receptacle has been responding perfectly from the last few tests.

When the ceremony is complete, what will happen to her?

Her? You mean the... receptacle?

When it was born, its soul was no longer with us.

After all, the Leader has been researching for so long just to craft a cage from a pure consciousness, to trick the <i>King of Sarkaz.</i>

When that happens, the King's power will be transferred to you, and the receptacle will be useless.

You can decorate it like a doll if you like, and bring her wherever you go. I do like to collect souvenirs too.

It is none of your concern.